Apparatus for firing explosives in wells.



L. H. BROADWATER. APPARATUS FOR FIRING EXPLOSIVES IN WELLS. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 30,1908.

941,852.. Patented Nov. 30, 1909;

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LUKE' H. BROADWATER, F FINDLAY, UHIO,-ASSIG1\TOR TO THE E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF NEW ERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR FIRING EXPLOSIVES'IN WELLS,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 30, 1909.

Application filed December 30, 1908. Serial No. 470,099.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUKE H. BROADWATER,

a citizen,of the United States, residing at Findlay, county of Hancock, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Firing Explosives in Wells, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is applicable to those cases in which the explosive in the well is of the ordinary construction, and generally speaking, fired in the ordinary manner, It is also applicable-and particularly applicable, to those cases such are shown in Letters Patent Nos. 855,224 and 866,838 issued to me, and an application filed by'me, Decemher 30, 1908, SerialNo, 470,098 in which provision is made not only for firing the well, but for severing the, wires to save a portion of the wire, and, as in the construction shown in my aforesaid application for severing the wires below the severing-apparatus, orv at the lower end thereof,

severing apparatus.

In all the aforesaid apparatuses it is'quite essential. that the operator controlling theapparatus should be in a position initially to know that the current is of sufficient cause the firing and the severing, to determine that such has been accomplished.

In all the aforesaid cases herein spoken I of, the severing apparatus is placed in shunt circuit with the main firing wires, which shunt circuit controls the severing of the Wires. In the two patents before spoken of, this is accomplished by means of an.explo- I sive fired from the shunt circuit, which explosive severs the line Wires at that point. In the application spoken of, the shunt circuit includes an electromagnet which controls-devices for mechanically severing the electrical connect-ion of the shunt circuit sists in using a normally open circuit for the line wires between the generator and to save a .large proportion of the firing wire and the the primer (which therefore includes the severing device) and a switch for controlling that' circult, and an ammeter in said circuit, anda normally closed circuit from the generator in which is placed a volt meter. By this arrangement, the operator can, by means of the closed circuit, including the volt meter, determine the voltage,

and therefore .will only close the switch when the voltage is suflicient to produce the desired result of firing the fuse or primer, I

and operating the severing device. Moreover, the moment the switch is'operated, the

ammeter is at once in circuit, and when it cludes the case in Which no severing apparatus is used and is independent of any specific detonating construction or any specific severing construction.

In the drawings: Figure l is a view of my invention in a well. Fig. 2 is a detail view of my apparatus, the firing portion being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a front sectional elevational view of the severing apparatus. Fig. 4 1s a rear VIGW'Of same.

ratus.

i a represents the well to be fired, in the bottom of which and close tothe explosive charge is placed the fuse chamber 12. The fuse chamber has the top and bottom caps c and (Z and the outer casing 6 extends above and below the caps c and (Z. To the casing a is connected the bail f around which the firing or-line wires 9 are wound, and then passv to the binding posts 72, on capo, from which wires 2' pass to the resistance in the main fuse 7'. This fuse j is in the fuse chamber 1) and its lower end is connected with the detonator 6 in the priming charge, which is contained in the vessel 7 The wires 9 extend upward to the severing apparatuswhichis a distance farenough above the bottom of the well not to be affected by the caving in of the well by the explosion. The wires 9 extend through Fig. 5 is a View of the electric'firing appaof the well where they lead to the source 'of; current supply including a switch, for

circle alon the face of the led-geor'fiange central position and the springs 1( thrown the action of the springs 10, causes the knives to move outward passing-over the for the wires 9 and the passage of t e wires of the line wires takes gand the shunt wire to to the electro magnet.

' light metal, as for instanee, aluminum. It has the cylindrical body and the conical orifices m in the ledge or flange lower end of the severing. apparatus, and I pass through orifices n to the back thereof where they are guided in the sinuous grooves 1 0 covered by the plate 1). They then pass along the back of the severing apparatus to the orifices where they pass to'the front thereof, ant? from thence along the front or top of this apparatus to the sinuous grooves 1' at the upper end, from which they. pass through orifices s, and'thence to the top closing the current.-, .From one end of these wires g at the point t, a wire t leads to the electro magnetm. From the other side of said magnet a wire '0 extends, which wire passes from the face to the back through the orifice w, it also passes from back to face through one of the orifices n and also through one of the orifices m beyond which itis. connected to theopposite wire 9 from that :which the wire t led and connects at a pointwhich is below iivhere the severing ace.

13 is the armature o the magnet u. A pivoted hook z is normally held in an orifice in the armature 13. 1--1 are two knives connected to the arms 22 pivoted at 3 so that said arms move in the arc of a m throng which the orifices m extend. The ends of these arms 2-2 are pivotally connected by links 5 with a slide 6 carrying the hook 7. Upon this slide is the fixed r0 or bar 8. '9 is a fixed bar or rod. The rods or bars 8 and 9 are connected by springs 10. By pulling the bar 8 forward, the hook 7 may be brought into engagement with the hook z, and the knives 1 brought to'their into tension (as shown Fig. .3).

When the circuit is closedthrough the wires g, a shuntcircuit passes to the magnet u energizing-the same and causing its .armature to move upward, releasin the hook 2 which in turn releases the hoo 11, and,

orifices m and thus severing'the line wires By means of the sinuous grooved assages from front to back, the severing apparatus and the wires 9 between the top of the well-- and. the lower end of the severing device may be lifted out of the well and used again. 4 a

The severing mechanism is placed withinthe casing 11. This casing is made of some ends 1212. This enables this device to be readily lowered into the well and lifted therefrom .after firing.

m on the s- 120 is the generator having the small gear 130 on the shaft 14 thereof meshing with the large gear 15 on the shaft 16. On the shaft 16 is the small gear 17 meshing with the large gear 18 onthe shaft 19, which shaft is rotated by the crank 20. By this means, the generator is rapidly rotated.

From one pole of the generator one ofthe main line wires g extends. From this wire g at binding post g extends the wire 21 to the volt meter 25. wire 22 extends to the binding post 23 on the shunt, and from'this binding 0st 23 a wire 24 extends to the other po e of. the generator. Thus the volt meter is always in a closed circuit with the generator, and

whenever the generator is active, receives current. The other wire 9 extends from the outside line wiring to the binding post 26 on the box, and from this binding posta wire 27 upon whichis the switch 28, extends to the binding post 29 of the shunt. From this binding post 29 a wire 30 extends to the ammeter 31, and from the ammeter a wire 32 extends to the binding post 23. It may be seen from this that with the switch 28 normally open, the line is open and the ammeter is in a normally open circuit. 'However, when this switch is closed, the current which passes to the fuse in the well and to the severing device, also passes through the ammeter. Therefore, when .the switch is closed if the arrangement is intact and. cor-.

From this volt meter a rect, the ammeter will momentarily indicate current, but will, practically at once, return to zero if the firing 'and the. action of the severing devicev have properly taken place. Thusthe operator may determine initially whether the voltage is proper for his purpose and ultimately determine whether the 'firing and the severing have properly taken' place.

Y In practice with the use of the hand. generator, the shaft is revolved untila vol-' tage of about 140 volts is reached. The

crank isthen continued to be turned and. the

switch closed, when the current passes to the priming fuse, and to the severin device, if

one be used. At once there wil be temporarily an indication at the ammeter, and

if the operation is satisfactorily carried out,

it will. at once be indicated by the return'of the ammeter to zero. a

I do not intend to limit. myself to. the specific generator shown, as other generators may be used. I havesimply used the specific generator forth'e purpose of illustrating an operative-embodiment of my invention.

- Havin now fully'described' my invention,

what I c aim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a generator and. a primer, of firing wires leading from the generator to the primer, a switch for controlling said circ it, and an ammeter in said yond the ammeter. r 2. The combination with a generator and circuit, an electrically controlled seyering device in circuit with the firing wlres bea primer, of firing wires-leading from the generator to the, primer, 2, switch for controlling said circuit, an ammeter in said circuit, an- -electrically controlled severing device in circuit with the firing wiresbe- 10 yond the ammeter, a normally closed circuit from the generator, and a voltmeter in said normally closed circuit.

In testimony of WhlCh invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Findlay, Ohio, on this 26th day of December, 1908.

LUKE H. BROADWATER.

Witnesses:

J. FRAN AXLINE,

JOHN E. BE'rrs, 

